George Zimmerman trial: Witness Anthony Gorgone

Day 8 of George Zimmerman trial

SANFORD, Fla. - Prosecutors in the George Zimmerman trial called a DNA analyst in the case up to the witness stand Wednesday.

Anthony Gorgone was the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's DNA analyst in the case of the death of a Miami Gardens teen Trayvon Martin.

George Zimmerman said Trayvon tried to grab his gun. However, Gorgone testified he did not find Trayvon's DNA on Zimmerman's gun or its holster. Gorgone told the prosecution that he also did not find Zimmerman's DNA on the scrapings of Trayvon's nails.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Don West got Gorgone to say that he did not know if the fingernails sample was from all of 10 fingernails or just one.

West also pointed out that Trayvon's clothes were wet from the rain, and were probably not allowed to dry before they were stored in plastic bags.

"The clothing should have been air dried before it was packaged or at least packaged in paper bags," West said.

Gorgone said that if the clothes were packaged in plastic the mildew could have degraded DNA evidence.

"Ideally you would like to air dry them before package," Gorgone said. "On top of that our agencies are encouraged not to place them in plastic bags."

Gorgone said he found Zimmerman's DNA on a spot of Trayvon's Nike brand light gray sweat shirt. On Zimmerman's red and black jacket, Gorgone tested 17 stains. He found traces of Trayvon's blood on the front right upper side of the jacket.

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